PALCO rOLYAGUPS. 577 



Falco saker. 



^tnkor Fal4-oii. 



ft. pohjagrus — Prairie Falcon. 



Falco pohjagrns, Cassin, Illtistr. JJirds C'al., Tex., &c., 1853, 88, pi. ]C (front 

 figure — not tin' <l;iilv oiio, which = J", cohuhhhi.v ;)«(/(•(, Uidgway, IJiill. Essex 

 Just., V, Dec, IST.J, p. L'Ol); iu Baird's Birds N. Am., ISJS, 12.— Baird, Cat. 

 N. Am. Birds, 1859, No. 10.— Coopee, Orn. Cal., I, 458. 



Falco lanarius var. pohjagrux, ItiDCWAY, in B. B. & R., Hist. N. Am. Birds, III, 

 1874, li'3.— LlENSUAW, 1875, 410. 



Falco mexicanits, Coues, Key, 1872, 213 ; Check List, 1873, No. 342. 



Falco mexicanus var. polyagrus, CouES, Birds N.W., 1874, 339. 



This daring Falcon was a rather common species throughout the Great 

 Basin. It was first observed on the 31st of October, 18G7, at the ITiim- 

 boldt Jlar-shes, where we saw one swoop upon a flock of tame pigeons at 

 the stage-station. Late in November, of the same year, it was noticed 

 again among tlie marslies along the Carson River, near Genoa, where it 

 was observed to watch and follow the Marsh Hawks (Circus hudsoniitu), 

 compelling them to give up their game, which was caught by the Falcon 

 before it reached the ground ; this piracy being not an occasional, but a 

 systematic habit. In the Truckee Valley we saw one snatch a young 

 chicken from a door-yard, in the presence of several spectators. The quarry 

 of tliis Falcon is by no means confined to animals smaller than itself, how- 

 ever, for the specimen in oin- collection was killed while leisurely eating a 

 Jackass Rabbit [Lcpus callotls), an animal of nearly twice his weight, and 

 which he had carried to the top of a fence-post by the road-side. He exhib- 

 ited no alarm at the approach of our buggy, but continued tearing and 

 devouring his prey; we had even passed by him without seeing him, when 

 the quick eye of Mr. Parker detected him in time for a shot. 



In the rocky canons of the more lofty ranges to the eastward it was 



common during summer, particularly about the limestone cliff's of the Ruby 



range, where the families of young, accompanied by their parents, made 



a great clamor, as thej^ flew among the precipitous rocks where they had 



been bred. They were likewise common in the rocky canons of the AVah- 



satch. 



37 p u 



